PAUL’S MENU FOR NOT RUNNING ON EMPTY

A few weeks ago I wrote a post entitled “Running on Empty” and after I finished and placed the article on the blog, I knew there needed to be a follow-up because I missed a really important point.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesian church and encouraged them in 5:18 to “be filled with the Spirit,”he was not talking about the initial coming of the Holy Spirit into our lives. The construction of this phrase in the original language would read something like “be being filled.” This speaks of the need for believers to continually be refilled with the Spirit.

We know that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us at the time of salvation. Why then is there a need for us to continually be “refilled” with the Spirit? How can I say what I am thinking without offending almost everybody? Well, I guess the easiest way is to say that we are just not real good containers and we leak! I’m not sure whether our leaky spots allow what’s in us to dribble out or those weak spots allow what’s on the outside to get in but whichever it is, we often have trouble staying full of the Holy Spirit.

The apostle was a practical man and by the time he wrote the Ephesian letter, he had been walking with the Lord for several decades and understood the ups and downs of the believer’s walk. The apostle had intense highs in his relationship with God but he also had intense lows (see 2 Corinthians 11:24-28). It is out of this seasoned warrior’s life and experience that he teaches us how to keep the “filling” happening.

Paul doesn’t just instruct the Ephesians (and us), he issues an imperative, a command: “Be continually being filled with the Spirit.” He doesn’t take a quick breath and then say, “And here is some of the fruit of being filled with the Spirit.” No, he launches into what I believe is a menu of things we can do to put us in a place of cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the “filling” process. We will briefly go through “Paul’s Menu” in a moment, but first let me tell you something that just happened.

[I am going to put this in brackets, not because I’m embarrassed by it but because it was not my intention to go this way. As I was writing the above about Paul, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me about some of you reading this post. The Spirit of God said to me, “Some of those reading this article are intensely hungry for a refilling of the Holy Spirit and I want you to tell them that I am ready to fill them—right now!” So if that is you, stay right where you are. You don’t have to go anywhere even if you are in the middle of a crowded coffee shop. The Holy Spirit is not in the business of embarrassing anyone and you can do this wherever you are. One of the instructions on Paul’s list was “. . . singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks” (Ephesians 5:19-20). You can do that anywhere, in your heart, and you can do that now! Go ahead and begin to worship Him, praise Him and sing to Him. Ask His Spirit to refresh and refill you and He will! If you want to wait until you are alone and have a quiet moment, that’s fine. The word from the Holy Spirit will be as valid then as it is when you read this for the first time.]

So now let’s talk for a moment about Paul’s Menu for “filling.”

V. 19 — “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” I believe this is primarily emphasizing verbal praise and the importance of music in worship. There is a time for verbal worship and there is a time for what I call “the heart song.”

“Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” You can be lying in bed at night and rather than disturb your neighbors, you begin to worship in your own temple where the Holy Spirit is in residence. You can do this sitting at your desk at work or in a crowded coffee shop—just begin to sing and make melody in your heart. This is nonverbal worship and Paul establishes the value and importance of it.

V. 20 — “Giving thanks for all things.” According to Paul, the last days generation will be an “unthankful” people (2 Timothy 3:2) but God’s family is called to be “thankful for all things.” We are to be thankful continually and express that to Him. Some days during my personal time with Him I make no requests but spend all my time “giving thanks.” Sometimes I praise by faith over issues that I am believing Him to resolve, or give thanks for all the wonderful things He has done in my life. We have so much to be thankful for!

V. 21 — “Submitting to one another in the fear of God.”Commentators bicker over whether this verse is attached to the menu or to the following verse (v. 22). I am of the opinion that the argument is over the word “submission,” which is used in verses 21 and 22, but that does not mean the verses are attached. I believe this verse is a part of Paul’s Menu.

One of the great struggles I had early in my journey as one called into service was over this issue of submission. Travelling in a very high-profile ministry, I was before thousands of people weekly and I found it difficult to be submitted to my pastor and the church at home. I did what my mind told me was the right thing—I simply disengaged and stepped back and away from being submitted. After several months, I realized what a terrible mistake I had made because I am smart enough to know when my spiritual well-being is suffering, and mine was. I quickly repented and corrected my mistake. Let there be no confusion—we are to be submitted to our pastors and to our church and we are to push off the deception of thinking otherwise. With the act of submission to the Lord, to our leaders, and to each other comes a great release of the Holy Spirit into our lives.

It is time again to go to Paul’s Menu. Why don’t you just order everything on it! No need to run on empty or close to it.